Certificate of Health to Accompany 

Animals or Animal Reproductive 

Material

Sections 2.53, 3.14 and 4.03 of the Export Control (Animals) Order 2004

Certificate No

Page 1 of 5

AHC-011013 USA Bovine Embryos 140714

D E P A R T M E N T O F A G R I C U L T U R E

Name and Address of Exporter Name and Address of Importer

AUSTRALIA UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Import Permit N

o

Description of Animals

Number Kind (Species) Class (Companion, competition, 

breeder etc)

Identification (microchip, 

ear tags etc)

Description of Animal Reproductive Material

Number Kind (Species and type; 

e.g. bovine semen)

Condition (Fresh/Frozen) Identification (straw 

numbers, packing list)

BOVINE EMBRYOS FROZEN STRAWS

Seal Number(s) of shipping container(s):

The goods have complied with the requirements set out in the following page/s. Official Stamp

Name of Authorised Officer Identity No

Signature of Authorised Officer Date of Issue
Certificate of Health to Accompany 

Animals or Animal Reproductive 

Material

Certificate No

Page 2 of 5

AHC-011013 USA Bovine Embryos 140714

D E P A R T M E N T O F A G R I C U L T U R E

I, _________________, an official veterinarian of the Australian Department of Agriculture , do hereby 

declare the following in relation to the embryos for export listed in this certificate:

1. Australia is free of:

 foot-and-mouth disease (FMD),

 rinderpest, 

 surra, and 

 contagious bovine pleuropneumonia

 bluetongue serotype 8

2. No cases of disease caused by Schmallenberg virus have been detected or reported in Australia

3. Bovine tuberculosis is a notifiable disease in Australia.

4. The donor dams have been part of Australia's national herd for a minimum of 60 days prior to 

collection, with no quarantine or movement restrictions.

5. During the 60 days prior to the collection of embryos all donor dams were inspected by the Team 

Veterinarian and found clinically free of contagious diseases. Where natural breeding or fresh 

semen was used to inseminate the donor dam, all donor sires were inspected by the Team 

Veterinarian during the 60 days prior to collection and found to be clinically free of contagious 

diseases. 

6. During the 60 days prior to the collection of embryos for export to the United States, all donor 

dams (and sires where natural breeding or fresh semen is used) have not been corralled, pastured, 

or held with other animals of lesser health status or under restrictions which would make them 

ineligible for export to the United States.

7. During the 12 months prior to the collection of embryos for export to the United States, there has 

been no evidence of bovine tuberculosis found in donor dams (or sires where natural breeding or 

fresh semen is used) or on any premises the donors have been on during that time.

8. All donor dams (and donor sires, if the semen was collected in Australia or natural service was 

performed) were: 

8.1. Born and raised in Australia; or legally imported into Australia and has been released from any 

post-entry restrictions; and,

8.2. Have been able to move freely within the National Herd of Australia.

9. The ova were fertilized as follows: either; (strike out options that do not apply):

9.1. Donor sires used for natural service were of an equivalent isolation and health status to the 

donor dams; or, 

9.2. Semen used for insemination was eligible for export to the United States in accordance with 

the provisions of AHC-011013/USA Bovine Semen 140714 ; or,

9.3. Semen used for insemination was imported into Australia in accordance with Australia’s 

import conditions on Department of Agriculture import permit number: _______________.
Certificate of Health to Accompany 

Animals or Animal Reproductive 

Material

Certificate No

Page 3 of 5

AHC-011013 USA Bovine Embryos 140714

D E P A R T M E N T O F A G R I C U L T U R E

10. The donor dams (and donor sires, if the semen was collected in Australia or natural service was 

performed) showed no signs of bovine tuberculosis on the day of collection and either:

10.1. Were kept in an embryo collection centre (ECC) free from bovine tuberculosis which only 

accepts animals from free herds; or

10.2. showed negative results to tuberculin tests carried out annually and were kept in a herd 

free from bovine tuberculosis

11. The embryos originate from an Embryo Collection Team that is approved by the Government of 

Australia

Name:

Address:

Registration No:

12. Arboviruses - the donor dams either:

12.1. were kept in a Department of Agriculture approved ECC located in a region certified free 

from bovine ephemeral fever, Akabane, and Aino for a minimum of 60 consecutive days 

before commencement of, and during, collection of the embryos. The dates of residence 

in the ECC are included in the “Attachment to Veterinary Certificate “, or;

12.2. were tested negative for Akabane, Aino, and bovine ephemeral fever by a serum 

neutralization test, virus isolation test, or PCR on a blood sample collected on the day of 

collection, or;

12.3. if collected on more than one occasion for this export, the donors were tested negative for 

Akabane, Aino, and bovine ephemeral fever by a serum neutralization test, virus isolation 

test, or a PCR on blood samples collected on the first and last day of collection, and at least 

every 7 days (for virus isolation) or at least every 28 days (for PCR assays) during embryo 

collection for this consignment.

13. If natural breeding or fresh semen was used to conceive the embryos for export, then the donor 

sires have undergone the same tests as the donor dams as stated in paragraph 12.

Dates of testing for each donor are recorded in the “Attachment to Veterinary Certificate”

14. Testing conducted on donors was conducted at laboratories designated by the Department of 

Agriculture as laboratories approved to conduct the tests.

Name:

Address:

15. The artificial insemination or natural breeding of the donor dams was performed under the 

direction of a Department of Agriculture approved veterinarian. The Department of Agriculture 

approved veterinarian personally observed the flushing of the embryos from the donor dams and 

the processing of the recovered embryos for shipment to the United States.

16. Embryos were processed in accordance with the latest published edition of the Manual of the 
Certificate of Health to Accompany 

Animals or Animal Reproductive 

Material

Certificate No

Page 4 of 5

AHC-011013 USA Bovine Embryos 140714

D E P A R T M E N T O F A G R I C U L T U R E

International Embryo Transfer Society (IETS), and in a facility approved by the Department of 

Agriculture (if separate from the ECC). Each embryo was washed at least 10 times. Each wash was 

accomplished by transferring the embryo into an aliquot of fresh medium that is 100 times the 

volume of the embryo, plus any fluid transferred from the previous wash. No more than 10 

embryos from the same flush were washed together. A sterile micropipette was used for each 

transfer, and the embryos were well agitated throughout the entire volume of the wash before the 

next transfer. Embryos from different donors were not washed together.

17. After the last wash, each embryo were microscopically examined over its entire surface at not less 

than 50x magnification and all zona pellucida were found to be intact and free from any adherent 

material.

18. After washing and examination of the zona pellucida, embryos were individually packaged in 

sterile ampules or straws and frozen in liquid nitrogen. The donor dam's and sire's identification 

and breed, the date of embryo collection, the name and address of the place where the embryos 

were collected, and an identification number for the straw or ampule are recorded with indelible 

markings on each ampule or straw. If any of this information is provided in code, deciphering 

information is attached to the health certificate for the embryos.

19. All equipment used to handle the embryos was replaced by new or sterilized equipment between 

each washing, and all standard sterile procedures were observed.

20. The shipping container has been examined by the Team Veterinarian, was found empty of 

embryos and other biological materials, and is either new or cleaned and disinfected (strike out 

option that does not apply) prior to use for export of embryos to the United States. Only fresh 

liquid nitrogen has been used to export embryos to the United States.

21. The embryos were maintained under lock and key or in the custody of the Team Veterinarian until 

they were placed in the shipping container and sealed with Government of Australia seals. 

22. The final audit of embryos in this consignment was performed under my supervision and the 

embryos have been placed in a sterilized shipping container. Seal No: ########

Official Stamp

Name of Authorised Officer Identity No

Signature of Authorised Officer Date of Issue
Certificate of Health to Accompany Animals or Animal 

Reproductive Material

Certificate No

Page 5 of 5

AHC-011013 USA Bovine Embryos 140714

D E P A R T M E N T O F A G R I C U L T U R E

Signed: _____________________

Date: dd/mm/yyyy

Official Stamp

ATTACHMENT TO VETERINARY CERTIFICATE 

Donor Dam Identification: Registration No: Breed: 

Donor Sire Identification: Registration No: Breed: 

Dates of Residence at ECC:

Date of Embryo 

Collection

N ̊ embryos 

for export

Health Testing (if required)

Test Type Date(s) Result

dd/mm/yyyy ####

Female Donor

Akabane SNT, VI or PCR dd/mm/yyyy

Aino SNT, VI or PCR dd/mm/yyyy

BEF SNT, VI or PCR dd/mm/yyyy

Male Donor 

(if fresh/natural 

mating)

Akabane SNT, VI or PCR dd/mm/yyyy

Aino SNT, VI or PCR dd/mm/yyyy

BEF SNT, VI or PCR dd/mm/yyyy

Straw ID: